TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD

CHANGING RELATIONSHIPS

AND MOB MENTALITY

CHAPTERS 12-16

SCOUT Scout prefers wearing

overalls to a dress. What does this reveal

about her character? She is a tomboy She does not want to

grow up She seeks to maintain

her own identity How else would you

characterize Scout? Adventurous Curious Tough Intelligent

Uncle Jack Finch tells Scout that she “is growing out of her pants”

What does this mean?

What is happening to Scout?

AUNT ALEXANDRA Has strong opinions about how Scout should

dress and behave Tells Scout she should wear dresses not pants “Her vision of me involved playing with small

stoves, tea sets and wearing the Add-a-Pearl necklace.”

Imposes her ideas of what a proper “Southern lady” should be

Tells Scout she should be more ladylike What does this reveal about her character? Traditional; Old-Fashioned; Domineering

Why does Aunt Alexandra come to stay with Atticus, Jem, and

Scout? She and Atticus decided she should stay at

the Finch home for a while because it would be best for Scout to have a “feminine influence”.

What does “feminine influence” mean? Why would Scout need a feminine

influence at this point in her life?

Scout’s Feelings

How does Scout feel about Aunt Alexandra?

“Had nothing to say to her”

How does Scout think her aunt feels about her?

“Thought me dull in the extreme”

Is this a compliment or insult?

Referred to her as sluggish

What does sluggish mean?

Aunt Alexandra’sPhysical Description

“Today was Sunday, and Aunt Alexandra was positively irritable on the Lord’s Day. I guess it was her Sunday corset. She was not fat, but solid, and she chose protective garments that drew up her bosom to giddy heights, pinched in her waist, flared out her rear, and managed to suggest that she was once an hour-glass figure. From any angle, it was formidable.”

According to Scout why was Aunt Alexandra so

irritable on Sunday?

How does she fit into Maycomb society?

- “Aunt Alexandra fitted into the world of Maycomb like a hand into a glove. But never into the world of Jem and me.”

- Explain what Scout means

- Which literary device is used?

Joined clubs Made her own

refreshments Gossip,never bored Would arrange, advise,

caution and warn “Was one of her last

kind” What do you think

Scout means?

What are her ideas about breeding and family?

Refers to the people of Maycomb in light of their family history

Believes that behaviors and character traits are passed down to each generation through hereditary (Ex: Gambling Streak, Mean Streak)

What does this reveal about her character? Old Fashioned way of judging others Are Aunt Alexandra’s views similar to her

brother, Atticus’ views? Do you agree or not with Aunt Alexandra’s

view on breeding? Does Scout?

Continued….

Judges families on the basis of how long they have been settled in the same place

“The longer a family had been on one patch of land the finer it was.”

For example, the Ewells were Fine Folks because they lived in Maycomb for generations

What do Aunt Alexandra’s views reveal about her?

Very old-fashioned; traditional

Does Scout agree with her? “I never understood her

preoccupation with hereditary. Somewhere, I had received the impression that Fine Folks were people who did the best they could with the sense that they had.”

What does this reveal about Scout?

Wise Even though she is young,

she has a more mature understanding of people than her aunt

IRONIC

Aunt Alexandra vs AtticusHow is Alexandra different than her

brother, Atticus? Wants Atticus to fire

Calpurnia Why? Forbids Scout from

visiting Cal in the future

Wants the children to know about the Finch family and uphold its heritage

Judgmental; traditional Respected in

Maycomb

Refuses to fire Cal Why? He feels she has done

an excellent job raising the children; the children love her

Tries to do this but is not successful

Wise; non-judgmental Respected in

Maycomb

What is happening to Jem?

How has he changed? Think specifically about what he does when he finds Dill under the bed.

What does he do? What does this say

about his character?

He is growing up, maturing

He tells on Dill, but they still achieve Dill staying

Proof of Jem’s Growth in Scout’s words…

Telling Atticus that Dill is hiding out in their house - this is a mature thing to do, since Dill’s mother would be worried

Scout tells us, “Then Jem rose and broke the remaining code of our childhood.”

“Jem was 12. He was difficult to live with, inconsistent, and moody. His appetite was appalling and he told me so many times to stop pestering him…”

Scout thinks that Jem has a tapeworm. How does Atticus explain this to Jem?

…Continued “’That’s because you

can’t hold anything in your mind but a little while’ said Jem.’It’s different with grown folks, we…’ His maddening superiority was unbearable these days. He did not want to do anything but read and go off by himself.”

How does Scout feel Jem is treating her?

No longer wants to play with her

Feels and acts superior to her

Tells her what to do “Jem had acquired an

alien set of values and was trying to impose them on me…It’s time you started bein’ a girl and acting right!”

He is growing up and does not behave like he used to

Mob Mentality - A Key Issue

Mob mentality is when a whole group of people, in this case, the people of Maycomb County, is caught in one specific mind set, for or against something.

The mob mentality of the town allowed the residents to believe that Tom Robinson was guilty.

The town's mentality would never allow them to set a black man free, so they were prejudiced against Tom Robinson from the start.

Atticus and “The Mob” “A mob’s always made

up people, no matter what. Mr.. Cunningham was part of a mob last night, but he was still a man. Every mob in every little Southern town is always made up of people you know - doesn’t say much for them, does it?”

“-[A] gang of wild animals can be stopped, simply because they’re still human”

Lesson Learned: Don't attack something if it hasn't harmed you!

This lesson is taught to Jem and Scout by Atticus when he teaches them about the mockingbird. He says that the mockingbird is innocent and only sings for you. It is therefore wrong to kill it.

The examples of the mockingbird within the novel are Tom and Boo.

Tom was attacked by the entire white society in Maycomb County. These attacks and accusations destroyed his innocent, respectable life.

Arthur "Boo" Radley was also an innocent victim to the taunts and of the people of the county. Because of their aversion to his life they separated him from any chance of leading a normal life.

Lesson Learned:Don't Judge Others

Mrs.. Dubose: She is also judged by the town. Others view of her is specifically expressed through Jem.

Jem feels that she is an old hag who hates everything and scares everyone, especially children.

When Jem is made by Atticus to go to her home and keep her company through reading and other activities he learns about the real Mrs.. Dubose.

Jem found that she was a genuine person who was only spiteful because of her addiction to the pain-killer morphine.

If the people of the town took the time to learn about Mrs..Dubose the way that Jem had maybe they would be more sympathetic.